En: Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria
Medal commemorating the jubilee meeting of Queen Victoria in York
14th July, 1887. Source: Sheffield Freemasonry
Silver coloured metal medal. On the obverse central to the design is a left facing relief bust of Queen Victoria (1819-1901) (see notes below) wearing a royal crown. Encircling this in a border is relief text reading 'VICTORIA. R & I. ASCENDED THE THRONE JUNE. 1837.'. This is all within a relief set square and compass entwined above with a banner bearing relief text reading 'GOD SAVE THE QUEEN'.
Encircling the central design in a border is a relief sprig of acacia and an ear of corn tied at the bottom with a ribbon and relief text reading 'JUBILEE MEETING 14 JULY 1887 AT YORK'. On the reverse central to the design is a relief Pythagorean star (five pointed) mounted on the left by a coat of arms, consisting of a relief shield depicting a lion surmounted by a crest of an Earl's crown and a banner below bearing text reading 'ESSAYEZ'. To the right is a relief coat of arms, consisting of a shield depicting three swords surmounted by a label and a canton bearing a shield with a fish. Surmounting this is a crest depicting an eagle and a banner below bearing relief text reading 'AYMEZ LOYAULTE'. In the centre of the star is a relief entwined monogram reading 'V R I'. Beneath all this is a relief white rose of York. Encircling the central design in a border is relief text reading 'PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE NORTH & EAST YORKSHIRE'.
Queen Victoria was born on 24 May 1819 at Kensington Palace, London. She was the daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, Grand Master of the Antients Grand Lodge in 1813 and fourth son of King George III. Her uncle was Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England until his death in 1843.
After the death of both King George IV and the Duke of Kent in 1820, Victoria was raised by her German-born mother, Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. She succeeded to the throne a month after her eighteenth birthday following the death of her uncle, King William IV, in June 1837. Her coronation was held at Westminster Abbey, London on 28 June 1838. On 10 February 1840, Victoria married her first cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, with whom she had nine children.
The third of these, Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn went on to become Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England from 1901 to 1939. Following the death of Prince Albert on 14 December 1861, Victoria went into mourning for the remainder of her reign, very rarely appearing in public and choosing to dress entirely in black. She reigned for sixty-three years and died at Osborne House, Isle of Wight on 22 January 1901.
The French text 'ESSAYEZ' translates as 'try'.
The French text 'AYMEZ LOYAULTE' translates as 'love loyalty'.
